Kasich must stand up for women, veto bills

For Christians, this season of Advent is a time of waiting. Right now, I’m waiting to see whether Governor Kasich will veto TWO bills that are critical to reproductive health care — the six-week abortion ban (House Bill 258) and the abortion method ban (Senate Bill 145).

As a faithfully pro-choice Christian, I firmly believe these bills are not about protecting life. If they were about life, then there would be exceptions for rape and incest. If they were about life, we would care just as deeply about children in our midst and provide them with safer schools and healthcare. If they were about life, we would not waste taxpayer dollars on these unconstitutional bills and instead invest in supporting working parents and addressing the staggering rate of infant and maternal mortality in Ohio.

My faith calls me to trust the moral agency of women (like Mary, the mother of Jesus) to decide what is best for their reproductive lives and families. We must work toward a compassionate society where women’s bodily autonomy is honored, and children are born wanted and welcomed into a safe community that provides for their needs. I urge Gov. Kasich to veto HB 258 and SB 145.